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Rhode Island Best Retaurants 2010

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Credit: Erick Ingraham

Best Wine Bar
SIENA CUCINA*ENOTECA, East Greenwich
Italians stop by enotecas after work to unwind with wine and cicchetti (snacks). Rhody commuters do the same, sipping wine, munching risotto dumplings, butter-fried green beans, and roasted shiitakes. 5600 Post Road. 401-885-8850; sienari.com

Best Urban River View
WATERMAN GRILLE, Providence
Wood-fire-grilled pizzas, meats, seafood, and veggies, including sweet potatoes. Unusual herbs, spices, vegetables, and fruits complement the smokiness. 4 Richmond Square. 401-521-9229; watermangrille.com

Best Surprise in a Strip Mall
GUYTANNO'S CAFE, Westerly
The sandwiches are excellent: lobster-and-avocado, eggplant parmesan on garlic bread. But chef Guy Gengarella's seafood dinners, such as crispy calamari over linguine aglio olio, really stand out. 62 Franklin St. 401-348-6221; guytannos.com

Best Suburban Alfresco
EUROPEAN CAFE & RESTAURANT, Smithfield
The menu is Mediterranean, with Italian dishes and Greek touches, including a homemade garlicky cucumber/yogurt sauce. There's an outdoor patio and fireplace, overlooking a meadow. 645 Douglas Pike (Route 7). 401-349-4200; europeancaferi.com

Best Weekly Transformation
ITALIAN CORNER, East Providence
Weekdays, it's a specialty market (offering take-away meals, too), but come Saturday night, delectable dishes float from the kitchen, including buttery chicken piccata. 10 Boyd Ave. 401-431-1737; italiancorner-ri.com

Best on Broadway
SPARK, Newport
Off the beaten tourist track, Broadway includes an alluring restaurant row, with Spark right at the top. Inventive fusion dishes include foie gras pizza and a "demonic clam boil": seafood with Andouille sausage and Thai chilis. 12 Broadway. 401-842-0023; sparkrestaurantandcatering.com

Best Beer Adventure
DOHERTY'S EAST AVE. IRISH PUB, Pawtucket
With 48 drafts and more than 125 bottled beers, Doherty's offers the right beer for the right time, whether you're sipping to live music or washing it down with a plate of baby-back ribs.342 East Ave. 401-725-1800; dohertyseastave.com

Best Chocolate Decadence
ELEVEN FORTY NINE, Warwick
Even with eye-popping decor and a take-no-prisoners menu, it's the house-made chocolate desserts--chocolate lava cake, chocolate flourless torte, cheesecake with chocolate pecan crust, and triple-chocolate bread pudding--that keep you coming back. 1149 Division St. 401-884-1149; elevenfortyninerestaurant.com

Best Mussels
RED STRIPE, Providence & Narragansett
Your choice of 10 steamed-mussels dishes. The namesake has beer in the broth; others have wine, vermouth, Calvados, or coconut milk. Entrées: from $9. 465 Angell St., Providence, 401-437-6950; 91 Point Judith Road, Narragansett, 401-792-3200; redstriperestaurants.com

Best Brunch Benedicts
SLICE OF HEAVEN, Jamestown
"Eggs Copenhagen" offers tons of smoked salmon; "veggie Benny" has plenty of portobellos and friends. Expertly cooked eggs; terrific Hollandaise; fresh fruit on the side. 32 Narragansett Ave. 401-423-9866; sliceofheavenri.com

Best Pub Grub
FAT BELLY'S PUB, Warwick & East Greenwich
Yes, you'll find "chowdah," wings, nachos, and beer. But you'll also want to sample the New York-style pizza and pasta dishes (Warwick) and the grilled pizza and paninis (East Greenwich). Both serve marvelous Black Angus burgers. 254 Old Forge Road, Warwick, 401-884-2112; 241 Main St., East Greenwich, 401-884-3434; fatbellyspub.com